and this brings back sweet memories of when china was very isolated during the cold war. in the end, there's a whole new generation of people who have been much more sophisticated understanding, but that i would say it's a very strong autonomic response to the united states beefing up its forces in

australia and then they wake up one morning and burma has flipped on them. it was eternal in terms of their faithful allies. these things caused a lot of consternation. so the old fear of diagnostically speaking in china is to fear with sand and travel without. these things happening around them excite them. >> how much does it add to that anxiety is that all? >> is the most problematic relationship now in japan and this is not good. i have to say i think japan probably hasn't played this as well as it might have, but i think on the other hand it would be fair to say also that it serves china's purposes to have

something happening outside his orders which can rally people at home. there's a lot of complex things going on in each of these reactions to foreign movements outside. >> which makes your job complicated. i wonder if you go back to the news last week with the north koreans surprisingly, given reports of their technical difficulties but the long-range missile tests seem to fully back or not. >> we have been communicating with the chinese about the need to dissuade north korea from launching a missile. although they say for satellite into outer space it's using the same technology that's important, that would be used to launch a nuclear warhead.

this type of missile technology is expressly covered under u.n. security council resolutions, prohibiting such testing of missiles and the type of technology, supported by china even. the last time in spring when china tried to launch a satellite, but it failed using this technology, china said we need to come out with a presidential statement from the united nations on this presidential statement condemning the actions of north korea can set the stage for tougher actions in the future if china -- if north korea were to launch another missile. that missile has been launched. we now think it's time for tougher actions since her engaging diplomatically with china and other members of the u.n. security council on tougher resolutions and possibly sanctions against north korea.

>> make any progress quick >> if you type to the state department to figure out what's going on. we've conveyed very frankly, candidly to the chinese in both washington d.c. and beijing in my case. >> in beijing, what is the view that you can tell of kim jong-un about what power he has, who he is, what its capabilities are to stay in north korea? >> the chinese believe we need to give north korea a chance in and develop economically. china would like all the parties that are part of the six party talks to get back to the table and to see if we can't encourage better behavior from north korea as opposed to imposing sanctions

now and trying to coerce north korea into the fold and abiding by their international obligations. so that's a difference of opinion as strategy. china believes we have to engage with north korea. the united states does every time to try to engage with north korea, they basically turned around and fail to respond to their promises and live up to promises and it gets us nowhere. we don't believe we should reward bad behavior. he knocked what is the most important thing the chinese leaders want from you everyday? what are they looking for? >> they want greater cooperation with the united states because they understand how important united states is for their own economy because so much of what they sell and produce is exported all around the world. they want the u.s. economy to be stronger as quickly as possible

and robust as quickly as possible because it means they'll continue to ask for. as much as they try to move from an export economy to a domestic consumption-based economy, and the reality is the more americans were coming for money they have in the pocket and the more they'll be shopping in stores. the healthier the u.s. economy is, the more they china will export and that means jobs for the chinese people. >> how much are they actually worried about the united states and how much time and attention are they paying to overdo it and enough relationship versus there are internal issues? >> i think the united states is incredibly important in china and they recognize that not only did their part to always ambassador locke has just

described, but in another way i think you could say it's more psychological. it's a 150 year history where china has been trying to chain itself up into big power status. it's not there is very close to being there. get their just lingering psychological mind that of china being the demise of the great powers. it's kind of a struggle between china's new confidence and success in this old feelings, which is why they pay me to asia rattled a little bit. this the mac it is to not wallow in narratives of the innovation. >> hsl justice chinese communist party at the beginning of the last century there is this sense of china. japan not only occupied it, but every other of power grab pieces

of it. so this is in the dna. >> isn't there a struggle between being of the dim, victimization and real asian superiority? >> it's an absolute contradiction and it's kind of a worry in two sides of the same mind and i believe in the end any sense of chinese confidence and respect for in the world will help encourage that will in fact cure this historical dilemma. but today it hasn't been fully fledged. so this is the reason why your job is so hard, ambassador because sometimes we think that are produced straight forward hurt them in another late because of this incredible historical dna that keeps expressing itself. >> give an example in your 16 month for something certainly not directed, not meant boas

understood there immediately to deal with them junk-bond products speed matches for sins over the value type or think i'll cook islands come in the supports japan's and puts japan up to the purpose of the island by the government of japan simply because we have a treaty with japan and they believed were there for a site with japan on the islands issue because they are treating this as we will come to the defense of japan but we have defense treaties with many other countries than it hasn't been we agree with the actions of all of our allies in trying to make that differentiation has been very, very difficult. >> i was unable to recite for like for you personally.

he became minister celebrity in china and people saw you fight your own coffee at starbucks, kerry murel muggeridge and they simply could not imagine it. what was that like? >> it was rather overwhelming at first it went viral, pictures of us in the seattle tacoma airport in the u.s.a. we weren't even in china. we were back the united states. they've know a kid who took that picture, but somehow it went viral and we were instantly recognized. even peddlers when we took our family and kids to experience the great wall for their first time, we were asked by everybody along the great while for pictures. so is overwhelming, very, very flattering on the chinese have been warm and gracious and very, very friendly. >> how much does it matter to them that your father was born in china? >> at the source of great pride

that i'm chinese-american, that my ancestors are often china, a waste family is from china as well. in some ways they expect me therefore to take the chinese side on all the issues. [laughter] and shortly after i arrived in before i arrived there was some commentary over the internet this you have to look at the statement. he may be chinese on the inside, but these white on the outside. excuse me coming out on the outside, white on the inside. they called me a banana. [laughter] some said it was a traitor to my chinese ancestry. others said hey, he's come in as a representative of the u.s. government. he will not side with china.

he will espouse u.s. policy 100%. but i really believed to have a slightly different give, the special perspective of history and culture understated my parents immigrant background and appreciation for china, where therefore want to serve as a bridge between u.s. and china. they firmly believe so many problems if they so what cannot solved without the act of collaboration of u.s. and china. what the history books 50 years to knock over 100 years since his china and the united states working together to solve these problems instead of history books blaming the united states and china for failing to respond to things that climate change and having history books that nor the incredible contributions of china over thousands of years to grow civilization and it completely overlooked that and just say the united states and china missed the opportunity is screwed up.

>> ambassador, i must say when you and steve chu, secretary of energy are in china, lake -- [inaudible] actually it's a wonderful part of america. here we have two chinese immigrant families representing america. it's hard to imagine it in reverse from the chinese side. but then they are not in the great society. >> do they take it as an honor? >> and deep. as ambassador locke mentioned they want to claim him and steve chu as part of the greater chinese community when they start talking about human rights or disagree with him on climate change. but nonetheless it's an amazing

moments in american history. >> you went over there just before or just after the big confrontation in august of 2011 over the debt crisis here and there is so much concern whether china would continue to surface our debts and by our investment, treasury bond. i was just wondering, what is the mayor theo up our political system is working and whether our economy, whether we are a worthy partner i guess. >> abuse in the top chinese government leaders as they have great confidence in the economy and know how strong it is. they've made statements to the south american leaders that have gone all the way from vice president titan and even then vice president xi jinping met with president obama in february last year. they expressed great confidence in the united states.

there is asking how is the recovery going, what our policies only get our fiscal house in order, but they believe we will and they know how dependent we are and that's why they want the strong -- >> to the understanding internal struggle between the congress? >> are beginning to understand that more and more with the ambassadors they have an government officials posted to the united states who have studied here in the united states. we constantly are reinforcing that message, the fact we are two totally independent branches of government and the congress does not necessarily speak for the president of the united states. >> in fact, xi jinping at one point said something very interesting. he couldn't understand that the u.s. government should have three branches come and affect three governments have been a government because it was difficult to get stuff done.

he was right. that's for sure. >> you've had a pretty -- i shouldn't say you, but there's been a rather -- "the new york times" called the new leaders of china a meritocracy of mediocrity and there's been a lot of talk and a new generation of leaders who haven't necessarily earned their stripes. i'm just wondering your answer to that. >> there is talk about the last 10 years being the last decade were nothing much happened. but you know, if you turn that around a little bit and i admit there's a lot of problems and many things were insulted that they said we can ride in the script now. but it was an amazing tenures nonetheless. but other countries had a 10% growth rate? person instabilities, but other countries manage to build more high-speed rail in the entire

world? infrastructure and things like that. so it is easy to say these are linked uninteresting leaders. but when you look at the actual record, it's not that. so i think it's decidedly true the first of all it's hard to understand china in any terms, but if you can't maintain two opposite things happening at once, it's really difficult to understand what's going on. >> so where's the attention right now as he talked about this new era ready to be born? what are the competing powers, factions? >> it's hard to say, but for longtime people if of political reform had to accompany economic reform that she couldn't

continue to have economic vibrancy without it. ultimately i believe it will. but the question is one and when did they run out of rope, having sort of one-sided their system reforming and the other side in almost the state of states. that's the real question and that's the question begged for the next 10 years with xi jinping in office. can that continue and grow? or can make it another decade out of the system? >> we really believe at least the administration, part of their success in being able to enact reform and address the growing disparity between haves and have knots between urban and rural people has to be opening up their markets, financial -- reform of the financial services

are, less dependence and reliance on state owned or government owned businesses. greater protection for intellectual copyrights for their launch partners. not just american companies, but intellectual property rights of the veteran entrepreneurs because if their inventors and scientists are to create and invent after putting a lot of hard-earned money and time is spent into these discoveries and innovations, they want to make sure their products and and impatience ideas are stolen either. so what we're really pushing for is a level playing field for foreign companies, fair competition, rule of law, transparency and a mutual legal system to enforce. how much she spent a piracy issues click >> we spend a lot. that's why during the presidential campaign, the president was clear that we have

to enforce the rules to ensure fairness by china to its american and other companies. china entered with debbie at geo and is benefited enormously from its secession from the dead pto. china also made a very good promises and agreements as part of that. if we may united states are ever to have additional trade agreements with other countries come at the american people and congress have to believe remake sure when we lower barriers and open our markets to companies from other countries but those other countries will also do the same for america. that is that the president was very clear in the campaign not rhetoric double hold other countries see to the fire with respect to trade agreements and to ensure a level playing field. >> is this something the chinese

leaders are signed to? >> yes, chinese leaders will always try to give a push and see if he'll back up and if you do that give you another push. and i think they do respect strength. at some point you have to say all right, we don't back up anymore and on the street issues that's what happened and is happening. of course the chinese don't like it, but they understand the notion of national interests. >> even more delicate of the human race. take us behind the scene when he was taken into the embassy at first. it seemed like he wanted to go back and there was miscommunication between rtm and what actually happened there. >> every bill everything, but just let me say a few things.

first of all would've brought them them into the industry, severe medical conditions we had to attend to. it was on that basis he brought them into the embassy. when he came into the embassy he never wanted to go to the united states. he made it clear he wanted to stay in china, he wanted to be basically a freedom fighter. several of our discussions with chinese for how we can get back into chinese society with protections for him and his family because he is suffered great abuse of his village in the province and wanted to be free of that village. so that's what all the discussions were all about. secretary clinton is about to come to town for the strategic economic dialogue. with all that silly no pressure to resolve this case and get them out of the embassy before she arrived. at one point we had to make sure

he felt comfortable with whatever terms and conditions under which he would plead the embassy and if not we were prepared to have him be our cats reside at the embassy for many, many years. at one point he did not agree to the conditions or offer by the chinese government. he said no. at that point he started turning around and focusing on had been a resident for quite some time. >> would that have been possible? >> it would've been difficult, but he would not have been able to roam the grounds freely because many parts are off-limits, even to some of the workers within the embassy would pay for is, for instance she vacations. in the old days you just had a telephone, maybe a landline in newspapers, but i've got the internet and who pays for all the different service is and how

would he feel it to communicate with the outside world. suppose her issues we started investigating and trying to develop policies over. fortuitously we were able to arrange for his exit out of the embassy on terms that he accepted. >> to understand was behind the change in his car? >> we gave him lots of cell phones and within minutes after he walked out of the embassy, he was calling everybody in talking to so many people. i know is he later indicated and his wife later indicated he was bombarded by faith and comments from many people. that may afflict his change his change of heart. >> i have to say that negotiation -- i was in china but obviously outside. with one of the more successful resolutions through a very

difficult ernie problem on both sides claimed into it in a very pragmatic way. i think neither side scored points against the other and actually worked out. it was a tough issue i think you're a teen and state department's team didn't use it. i think it was painful for china and difficult for the united states and its practical way they came to the conclusion as he came to this country. >> is there a sense there that many around the world has stopped pressuring on the human rights political reform issues? >> i'll give you an outside view. i think hillary clinton did say right on this stage as she came

into office that she didn't think we should hold other issues hostage to the human rights issue. in other words, we've many issues to work out in china and there is a certain was sent to that. the american government has priced pretty hard. but i think we learned how to do it in a way that isn't quite -- doesn't feel quite so insulting to china. i can tell you, gone are the days when the president goes to china and before we get there, make a few genuflections, those days are over. so when this new. it's an equal negotiation where each side has to take a little negotiation is so interesting because each site did have to work it out and did it in a relatively mature in part mcquay. >> as i would've felt like like from the inside?

it was a very successful negotiation because initially we were able to get them out on terms that mr. chong felt very comfortable with. was providing free world and the word -- free room and board at a college university industries in pursuing legal studies and with a better lifestyle than he ever had in the village at all semantic change a part of wanted to come to the united states. were able to facilitate that it is now here in this family is doing very, very well. on the broader issue of human rights, we have made that a top priority filling it with lawyer groups, human rights groups within china, legal groups, ethnic minorities constantly. we raise these issues with the chinese government at every point both publicly and

privately. so we've grown perhaps more sophisticated as orville indicates on human rights issues, bush still approached them nonetheless. >> with that, it's time for your questions. i'm going to excuse myself. it's really great talking to you. [applause] >> nothing like following george stephanopoulos. if you'll just raise your hands, there's people at microphones who will find you for your questions. i've just been filtering through some questions that are coming in from our website and there's an awful lot of them. you touched on the pacific islands problem. i'm amalgamating a bunch of questions here, but how worried are you, ambassador, about a

flareup? the southern chinese encouraging to japanese airspace i speak of my definitive beverage do you have for what kinds of messages are you sending by way of warning shots at the well? >> i think the state department has been very, very clear from washington d.c. that we need both sides -- all sides to remain calm, to avoid escalating because when you have an escalation you have more dignity and unintended mishaps can occur. those are the things that most wary policymakers on both sides. trawler to get lumped to buy a navy ship and have patroller sink and some untried and then you have a super, super major international incident on your hand. so it's imperative that all sides try to resolve these issues among themselves in a calm, deliberate fashion and

avoid escalation or in a provocative acts. >> is there an example on the economic front to see how far they can push? to think this is going on now on this front? >> yeah, i do. however, what worries me about these islands is this one question and you have trade dispute. it's another question because they have the safety of core interest. core interest means taiwan, hung calm, tibet and now these islands. that means there's not a lot of room for negotiation. in other words, you move a certain flexibility lets you describe is something being a core interest. that's worrisome because it's right in the brain of the sovereignty question and i'm not coming china is this uncompromising on any topic. >> question over here.

do you have a microphone? >> thank you. following that question. in 2011, with secretary gates was visiting china for meetings, the chinese tested a new stealth plane that apparently was tested by the military without notification of the top civilian leadership. for the first time we have not only china expanding the territorial regional interests, we have a china with a new political leadership with no military expertise. by the way, same thing in our country. what impact do you think that will have in terms of potential miscalculations and what have you already seen in the last 15 months in terms of civil military relations? thank you. >> it is our hope that xi jinping now heading up the military in addition to being the party secretary, shipping

the president to china that there will be greater coordination with the military. he said he reached out to the military within the last several weeks, so we're hopeful there'll be a lot more coronation. >> anything on that point? question on the left here. >> ambassador, is it something in the history of china culturally or later is wise that precludes of understanding for emphasis upon human rights? >> i think first of all day sometimes to find human rights is the human condition and a look at the relative greater prosperity for the chinese people compared to 30, 40 or even 15 years ago as an indicator of the advancement

patternmaking of human rights. they talk about poverty and medical care and things like that in passing that the postage is freedom of expression and religion and assembly to a rethink of human rights. presentencing is a bit of a disconnect. when the race issue of human rights, they come back or even a newspaper articles, both talk about why they been criticized for human rights when the chinese people are much better off today than they were years ago? >> quickly, i do think that their marks or london or the two great wellsprings in which chinese culture and politics has sprung have a tremendously -- bituminous amount of emphasis on individual rights in the case of

confucianism. it's more a family plan. it's not even a highly evolved notion. of course they get the rights of everybody else. they're not included. so in this sense, china has not had historical experience of actually implementing these questions and you begin to realize how much these are children of the french revolution and the american revolution. but that doesn't mean that it won't happen. it just means there are preconditions of china, but getting richer and more confident. this is the groundwork for more democratic race. >> all the talk now in these few

weeks about more openness. but -- we don't see any opening on december the human rights front? >> nothing major. attanasio teicher nose to the ground if you detect if any, but i would say it's a little early for such a conclusion. >> we just have to wait and see if it can xi jinping is a new party secretary, head of the military will be the new president come springtime. the chinese ruled by a committee of seven and he may be polluted by a polluted by group of seven, but he spent to consensus and develop coalitions. so how fast and how far they go in certain areas, which areas they pick to focus on is yet to

be seen them we really don't know. as orville was saying that we don't know the philosophies of all the members of the committee of seven awards will come out on a very. >> was questions all of a sudden. >> i think people are very hopeful, but again, we'll have to wait. >> i've been hearing a lot of u.s. politicians as well as tivo it donald trump who accuses us a manipulator. for me i can recall recently, not disastrous 12, 14 years ago when i ran with a .6 to 1

dollar. today's 6.3 to 1 dollar. dishonesty 25% appreciation of the currency. i'm just wondering, where does the u.n. have to go before people will hush up about the currency manipulator accusation? does the ambassador have any idea? >> i can't speak for donald trump or others, so i've no idea what their benchmark is. clearly a secretary payton or come our treasury secretary on this matter, you notice they did not in their latest report labeled china a currency manipulator. at the same time, we know the currency has more room to appreciate. they take it to appreciate more and faster. but we also recognize a lot has been done to many fact during

inflation, it has changed significantly. but i don't know how others would define it and others will say sufficient. >> yes, sir, in the front. by making the microphone people run around. over here in the meadow. >> you are talking about tensions the islands. what about north korea? how do how far do you think the chinese will go in missile development of that nature? >> ambassador, i don't know which her experiences and having dinner off the records of chinese come of this or not, but my experience is there is nothing but deep level

contaminants for what's going on in north korea and some people are even saying they think north koreans are crazy. know what they do officially is another question because they're obviously not thrilled at the prospect of a reunified korea having south korea and america right across the river. this is an area where the chinese could tune themselves up a little. but clearly they are not in love with north korea. >> i can only say china is trying to encourage the transformation of korea and encouraging north korea to follow the same path china has engaged in in the last several, opening up their economy in china has been actively trying to establish free trade zones,

encouraging other countries to establish operations in certain areas as a way to try to beef up the north korean economy and hope that that may lessen the isolation of north korea and therefore are influenced their foreign policy and some of their military policies. >> on the outside there. >> what about china's book, continental border with russia? what about china buying to siberia. i'm colonizing siberia, sending out some of these people -- how to separate the united states? how does that worry the united states? actually, china getting stronger

unaccounted siberia? >> i haven't heard any proposals for china to buy parts of siberia. [laughter] their border issues, but i haven't heard any proposals. investment -- well, the united states very much once a prosperous china, but we also want a prosperous china that assumes greater responsibilities and engagement throughout the world commensurate with the capabilities and economic power. we don't want china simply to grow and take a free ride or get a free ride on everything else that's happening around the world, that china needs to set

the intake are responsible when managing international affairs, with its conflicts in africa to the middle east, to north korea and elsewhere. so we are seeing some of that already. there is good cooperation on many issues, including afghanistan, engagement with china on issues of north korea. we may not always agree. and certainly, china has cut back its purchase of iranian oil and is working with the united nations and the united states on trying to dissuade iran from developing a nuclear weapon. so there's a lot of cooperation from the book very much welcome a prosperous, raising china. it's in our interest associate just of the world in the asia-pacific region and we just need to make sure -- we want to make sure china seems greater world responsibility at the same time. >> if i can follow up your

statement are gross generalizations that the chinese have been seen as a, but other parts of the world that they're investing, barely been in a way that causes tremendous resentment, certainly in africa. what are your thoughts about that? >> siberia which is natural resource which has a highly evolved russian economy. this engine of chinese entrepreneurialism has spilled over into the region and some russians are concerned because it's a logical place for russian timber and minerals and other things to go. but this is not china's fault. it's more that russia -- it does not colonization but that sort of economic activity. >> yes, i meant to calling you before, sir.

>> mr. ambassador, there is a long article in "the new york times" in september about how president obama had been educated about china and had to take a tougher stance vis-à-vis china. i think the article drew heavily on the national security council person responsible during president upon his first two or three years. was that something posturing for the political campaign? or in fact is that correct that president obama wants to have a more hard-nosed posture vis-à-vis china and if so, what are we doing about it? >> let me just say that as i indicated earlier, president obama believes sony enter into agreements with other countries in this negotiation amid lower barriers and open our markets,

when we enter into these agreements, those countries have to reciprocate, but to their agreements. otherwise the american congress alaska militia they ever enter into another trade agreement with another country? at the skate park bar can don't enforce our rights. that's why you seen obama, more actions against china taking to the tip eto and we basically propelled and been very successful. so it's a recognition would have to play by the rules, but all countries have to play by the rules and that's why we are able to use the mechanism's of the wto to resolve our disputes. that doesn't necessarily mean that we're not going to cooperate with china on many of their friends. we have many other engagements in terms of science and technology to you, clean energy,

collaborations by the signer for disease control, trying to look at the various world health problems, solutions to which vendor site the united states as well. what was going to disagreements. the disagreements that canada, france and mexico and many other countries. but there's a mechanism we can all go to for a mutual refereeing of those issues are the wto is one way we can do that and the president has insisted that we do that. [inaudible] [inaudible] >> i'm sorry, i didn't have a chance to read the article. so i'm not familiar with

everything else has mentioned the article. it's a question two minutes before the election there was this big tough on china team. >> in terms of the military, and that was announced almost a year before that. but what set off the discussion at the pit it was the announcement of joint exercises with australia and rotating about 2000 marines to australia. i don't think cheney should be fearful of 2000 marines in australia, but a lot of the dvd in terms of military collaboration with countries in the asia-pacific region involve responding to disasters at giving people the technical ability to respond to natural disasters and disaster relief. our engagement with other countries throughout the asia-pacific region will focus

on more cultural economic assistance as well as military collaboration. even with china itself, prankish enormous china and this has been from the beginning of the administration as part of the pivot. it is not just focusing to the exclusion of china. secretary clinton has spent to china seven times. we've had defense secretary gates and pineda, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff mole and from the national security adviser donelan and many other cabinet officials to china specifically. >> i think it's fair to say that in certain way it may be the president and it ministration has arched his back a little more than the past year. ambassador luck has it right but that does not mean that they're

not deeply interested in finding ways to collaborate. these may seem contradictory, but they need not be in that it's a recognition that is sometimes difficult for the chinese to accept. >> any young people in the back? >> how do you find -- defined job? [laughter] >> no comment. >> ambassador locke, there's an optimism that the new leadership there will be greater openness of chinese markets to foreign entries. were looking forward to that. can you talk about some of the

pressures on the new leadership as well as within the new leadership in terms of opening markets? particularly in the financial services area, which has been a bit of a sore spot. >> we very much as a government support and encourage more opening up of the financial services sector. we feel the competition for products that american companies offer would be good for the chinese consumer, creating more products, lowering prices and help china achieve its own goals of getting away from an export driven economy to more domestic consumption. the various products from retirement to insurance, to even simple savings and investment opportunities would mean the

chinese don't have to have all that cash under the mattress and do so much on a cash basis for everything. the more that they can free up that cash from having to sit for medical emergencies or other necessities of life in the consumer, which is part of a new five-year plan and good for the world economy as well. but they are moving on this and some people have commented that perhaps the regulatory system is not carried out and not ready to take on opening up the financial services, whether it's allowing more foreign companies to come in and own more than a 33% share of a company of 49% share or offer products unheard-of right now in china that they don't have the regulatory system to oversee that.

we have made some progress in the last year of the joint commission on commerce and trade, which is why the joint commission begins tomorrow as well as progress we've made at the economic dialect of this past spring in imported goods therefore makes it more affordable for the consumer to insurance, opening the insurance set your company third-party insurance to foreign firms. some are beginning to see this, but again we of course would like more and faster. >> quicktime for two or three more questions. in the middle. >> for conversations of some of my colleagues at chinese universities, several are very sympathetic on the issue of

human rights. whenever tibet comes up, there's a blind spot. that's my opinion using the term blind spot. but it's u.s. policy in the the issue of tibet vis-à-vis the chinese government? >> i was not actually in tibet. i was in szechuan province with a very large tibetan province and i visited and met with several tibetan people, visited several monasteries there as well to really get a sense of what's happening on my own and to have conversations with some of the tibetan religious leaders. dissenting were very concerned about and find the escalating and large numbers of emulations deplorable. we raised this issue both publicly and privately to me very much believe china should re-examine many of their policies to threaten the

linguistic, religious, cultural identity of tibet. >> is this a direct statement in terms of what the u.s. policy is vis-à-vis tibet? >> u.s. policy has spawned not called forward independent today. we recognize tibet as part of china, boosting tibet, the position of the dalai lama. but then tibet we believe there needs to be more recognition of the unique cultural aspects of the tibetan people from religion, language, culture. >> couple more. >> which you speak a little to the american attitude about chinese investment in the united states? or talked a lot about opening up china or united states investment. what about investment of chinese

into united states? >> if you're asking me about the american viewpoint, you will represent data. if you're asking about the american government viewpoint come back and see the american government release the administration welcomes foreign direct investment from all countries into the united states including from china. obviously certain issues of national security have to be looked at, whether the investment comes from france, germany, israel or china. there is a specific committee that reviews that. the committee on foreign investment in the united states. after the billions and billions of dollars, hundreds of billions of dollars of foreign direct investment coming in involving thousands of transactions. only a hundred each year are reviewed by the united states government and only six or seven

of those involve chinese companies announce a hundred the united states government reviews, out of thousands of transactions, only six or 7% are ever modified because of national security reasons. so the vast majority investment in the united states is not problematic to me very much welcome that. in fact, we at the mcg assisted a huge ambassadors for on investment into the united states and which are invited about 80 of the top chinese companies and entrepreneurs and investors have china. we actually had about 24 different states of america making presentations, showcased in the whole list of projects and opportunities for investments for real estate by

food processing plants and biotech terms looking for investment to convert capital. we very much welcome chinese investment if these factories in america with many examples of successful chinese companies. t. engine type opening up a huge stillwell in texas, where it will be manufacturing steel and employing some 2000 american workers. waukesha automotive is an automotive country for many, many years in the detroit area, employing thousands and thousands of workers. that's the investment we encourage them on. the same way we had japanese automakers building cars here in the united states, german cup visas to place a russian cub

needs the steel plants in the united states. we very much want that. >> we supported a big report recently. i can't remember another ca didn't see everything. although china bashing, i don't think we have a single u.s. official ways to support you just made you maybe this politically unpalatable. it stands to reason everything you just said. issues that if you use your very much. >> president obama critic a program called select u.s.a. under the supervision that is specifically the first federal federal -- and have been a hard time spitting out my words because of jet lag is finally hitting me. it's the first coordinated effort at attracting investment into the united states because we recognize that creates jobs. but the honda plant, whether the

mercedes-benz plant or bmw plant through the air base in when they come here and set up factories, they're employing american workers and there's a reason that the chinese can't do it along with all these other companies around the world. >> i think it would be fair to say that the ambassador pointed out there is an open economy in fact the perception of many chinese because the case is went awry. i think this is lurch the political problem, not a problem caused by the actual review process in washington and they think it would behoove the states as well as the federal government to really hang a shingle out and actually solicit

in a more aggressive way because like it or not the investment flows going from the developed world to the developing world and not coming the other direction. but there is actually a great american interest to behead by embracing it. >> or investment firm is focusing on the benefits of coming to the united states to establish their operations because many advantages in terms of manufacturing are beginning to say it could when you manufacture in china and ship it to the largest consumer market, the united states rather parts of the road, oil transportation costs are three times higher today than they were in the year 2000. elect tri-city costs in the next 15 years. if you manufacture and establish

the united states, you take advantage of the many trade agreements the united states has with the countries. whether it's a japanese cut me, thai company can chinese company manufactures in the united states, employing good american workers. ..

>> the key is having the right set of advisors from investment bankers to accounting firms and law firms and pr firms and management consulting firms. >> we will leave it there. think you all for coming. think everyone. [applause] i was just going to thank everyone at asia society.org. thank you both for being here. it has been a great pleasure. [applause] [inaudible conversations]

>> if we turn away from the needs of others, we align ourselves with those forces which are bringing about the greatest suffering. >> obesity in this country is nothing short of a public health crisis. >> i think i have intentness that went up and told me when someone had their own agenda. >> i think that they serve as a window on the path to past what was going on with american women. >> she becomes the chief confidant. >> many of the women who were first ladies were writers. journalists and they wrote books. >> they are, in many cases, more

interesting as human beings and their husbands. if only because they are not first and foremost defined as limited by political ambition. >> they were socially adept and politically savvy. >> dolly madison loved every minute of it. monroe hated it. absolutely hated it. >> you can't rule it out including what women want and what women have to contribute. >> during the statement, we were a little breathless. there is too much looking down. now we need a change of pace. >> is probably the most tragic story of all the first ladies. >> she wrote in her memoir, she said that i, myself, never made any decision. i only decided what was

important and went to present to my husband. now, if you stop and think about how much power that is, that is a lot of power. >> part of the battle against cancer is to fight the fear that accompanies the disease. >> she transformed the way that we look at these bugaboos and made it possible for countless people to survive and to flourish. as a result, i don't know how many presidents realistically have that kind of impact on the way we live our lives. >> just walking around the white house grounds, i am constantly reminded about all of the people who have lived there before it, in particularly, all of the women. >> first ladies influence and image. a new series on c-span. produced in cooperation with the white house historical association.

february 18. >> in a few moments, a tribute to senator daniel inouye. and then a discussion on the school shootings in newtown, connecticut. later, we will re-air gary locke on the relationship between the two countries, china and the united states. tomorrow morning, a form on the consumer credit report. and oversight of the credit reporting market. the that live at c-span3 at 10 eastern senator daniel inouyebie

died yesterday at the age of 88. this is a little bit more than a half-hour. >> is he was a colleague but really a friend. he helped me so many times, helped me do my best here, my best has been with the help of him. as i mentioned briefly yesterday, he always had so much confidence in me. years ago, years ago when i was a senator struggling, like all senators here, he told me two decades ago that i would be running the senate someday. i never even contemplated, thought about that, desired that. things have worked out that he was right. senator inouye is one of the amerir inouye is one of the >> senator inouye, he is one of the finest men i have ever

known. a real americano hero. my friend, who is on the floor, the system leader, has told hiss stories about dan inouye. he has heard me tell my stories. i is just such a good friend or mine. tald he and senator inouye were friends. they talked about what it's lik. to not have a limb.'s was a what it's like to lose a leg or an arm.d b and they talked and they were friends. michael callahan work back here and he got to know senator inouye. he and his wife, irene, his son, ken, and his daughter-in-law jessica. ahe stepdaughter, jessica, and a

granddaughter named maggie. named after his first wife. they are in morning for a noble soul. he lived a long productive life e devastated by his passing. but we will all miss him. his legacy will live in the halls of the senate and the state of hawaii as long as history is written. his place in the history books will not fade. as the second-longest serving senator in our history, senator inouye's career in congress spanned the life of hawaii's statehood, elected to the senate in 1962. only robert byrd served longer. senator inouye's tradition of service began long before he came to the united states

senate. he was working as a medical volunteer when japanese warplanes attacked pearl harbor. he was just a boy, a teenager. from the time he was just a kid, he wanted to be a doctor, a medical doctor, but a different fate awaited dan inouye. after the attack, as we all know too well, japanese americans were deemed enemy aliens and were therefore not subject to the draft. in spite of that, in spite of the humiliation, more than 110,000 people of japanese ancestry were imprisoned in american internment camps. i have seen the pictures, we have heard the stories.

they were in prison. yet dan inouye and other japanese americans, in spite of the unfair designation of being an enemy alien, volunteered to fight for this nation's freedom overseas, although many of their own families were denied freedom at home while they were overseas. senator inouye fought famously with the famous 442nd regimental combat team in world war ii and was grievously wounded in battle in italy. now, mr. president, the citation, the words for his medal of honor are as follows -- every medal of honor recipient, they write a paragraph or two about why he was given this award -- "on april 21, 1945, inouye was grievously wounded while leading an assault on a heavily defended ridge near san turazo in tuscany, italy.

the ridge served as a strong point along the strip of german fortifications known as a gothic line which represent the last and most dogged line of german defense in all of italy. as he led his platoon in a flanking maneuver, three german machine guns opened fire from covered positions just 40 yards away, pinning his men to the ground. inouye stood up to the attack and was shot in the stomach. ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first machine gun nest with hand grenades and fire from his thompson sub machine gun. after being informed of the severity of his wound by his platoon sergeant, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second machine gun position which he also successfully destroyed before collapsing from blood loss. as his squad distracted the third machine gunner, inouye called toward the final bunker, eventually drawing within ten yards. as he raised himself up and cocked his right arm to throw

his last grenade into the fighting position, a german inside fired a rifle grenade that struck him in the right elbow, severing most of his arm and leaving his own primed hand grenade reflexively clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to him anymore. inouye's horrified soldiers moved to his aid but he shot them back from out of fear his severed fist would involuntary relax and drop the grenade. as a german inside the bunker reloaded his rifle, inouye pried the live grenade from his useless right hand and transferred it to his left hand. as a german aimed his rifle to finish him off, inouye tossed his grenade into the bunker and destroyed it. he stumbled to his feet and continued forward, silencing the last german resistance with a one-handed burst from his thompson before being wounded in the leg, tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge. he awoke to see his concerned

men of his platoon hovering over him. his only comment before being carried away was to gruffly order them to return to their positions since, as he pointed out, nobody called off the war." that is the citation on his medal of honor. his arm was later amputateed in a field hospital and he was sent back to the united states to recover, but it took years for him to recover. i can remember in the l.b.j. room over here his talking after patty murray and others talked about what a difficult time the returning veterans were having from iraq. about some of his experiences. he took -- they trained him to drive vehicles. he took driver's license tests in more than one state.

he became very personal and talked about some of the things they taught him, missing an arm, he had to do. it was a remarkable presentation that he made. senator inouye didn't talk very much. he was a silent man. didn't talk very much at all. he had a dynamic voice. we vice president felt that voice the last few years because he hasn't been as powerful as he was, as he's aged, but what a beautiful voice he had. and that -- in that hospital they took him to in michigan, senator inouye made his two lifelong friends, one senator bob dole, who as we know, became majority leader here in the senate and the republican nominee for president of the united states. and his other lifetime friend is the late senator phil hart, who was known as the conscience of the senate and the hart building, the massive senate office building, is named after him. asked by his son why after being

classified as an enemy alien he and the members of the 442nd fought so heroically, senator inouye said in his usual, calm man, for the children. and for the children there could be no finer role model than senator dan inouye. he was a recipient of the medal of honor, a congressional gold medal, the highest honor can bestow. he served the distinguished service cross, a bronze star for valor and, of course, a purple heart. dan inouye showed the same dedication in congress he displayed on if battlefield. i want to take just a little bit here, mr. president, and talk about a meeting that i had, i mentioned it very previously last night but it was ten days ago. i knew senator inouye wasn't feeling well so i went down to his office, and he's got a remarkable office. it's a beautiful office. but there isn't one single thing on the walls depicting what a great man he is.

there are no awards, there are no commemorative statues. all he has in his office are pictures of washington and hawaii. that's the humility that he showed his entire life. there was no staff there, just the two of us. we talked for an hour. and i would always remember it but his having passed away yesterday, it will be embedded in my mind. as we left, we both lamented the fact we hadn't been able to sit down and talk like that enough. he professed at that time, these were his words, how lucky he'd bin his whole life. he said i got a little emphysema now, i said it's not from smoking, i've never seen you smoke, he said no, i learned to smoke in the war as a boy, a teenager. he smoked from 1944 to 1967.

and they told him he had lung cancer. but they were wrong. but in the process they took out part of his lung out, half of his lung. he talked about how lucky he had been with surviving what he thought was lung cancer, but also how lucky he had been his whole life. for example, the war. now, i'm sure that most people would reflect on his massive injuries that he had as being lucky, but he considered it lucky that he lived. but there were other examples he gave me. he had been called upon with three other people, three other soldiers, to cross a river in the dark of night to find out what was going on on the other side of the river. and he and his three companions in the dark of the night, they didn't have all this fancy gear to see in the dark, they did their best, they crossed that cold, cold river.

and took many hours. they came back and did their report, and he laid down on his bunk and he had had an ingrown toenail, it hurt the whole -- every step he took. so he's laying on his bed and he said here's why i was so lucky. a medic came by and looked at me and look at my foot and he said you have gangrene poisoning. we've got to get you out of here. so they took him out and he said how lucky i was, i wasn't in battle on that day when half of his companions were killed. he also talked about preparing for another battle, and he's getting ready to do this, he is a private, he may have been a corporal, i don't really remember and a sergeant came and said -- a sergeant came and said inouye, report to the

colonel. so he doesn't know what's wrong, he goes and reports to the colonel. the colonel says very curtly, you have to meet with the general today. the only reason he would know to meet with the general is court-martial. that's what everybody thought. so he goes to see at headquarters. sees the general. the general tells senator inouye, i'm promoting you to be a lieutenant. it was a battlefield promotion. but he said i was lucky. i lucky i became after officer but lucky i wasn't in the fight that day because we also had huge losses. when he scheduled to come back to america, another one of his lucky experiences, they have a transport plane to take him back to america. his arm is gone by then. and he's told we don't have room for another litter, another patient on the airplane. you can't go. so, of course, is disappointed. the plane crashed and killed everybody on the plane.

so dan inouye was a person who considered himself lucky. those of us who knew senator inouye consider ourselves lucky just being able to know the man. after hawaii received its statehood in 1959, dan inouye served as the state's first congressman. three years later, he was elected to the senate and he's been a soft but powerful voice for the people of hawaii ever since. the many personal courtesies he's extended me i will never forget. may not seem like much but i had something where i was scheduled to be in florida, and i had promoted this, the great -- i was a new senator, the great senator inouye was going to be there. and i got a call from henne juni, used to be the sergeant at arms, for a long time

senator inouye's chief of staff. he said i've checked his schedule, it's his wife's birthday and he's not going to be able to go. he said i understand that. within an hour i got a call from senator inouye. he said millie understands that totally. he said we'll celebrate the birthday the day after tomorrow when i come back. so he just was somebody who was just so sacrificial to other senators. as senator inouye's colleague from hawaii, senator akaka said last night, -- quote -- "his legacy can be seen in every mile of every road in hawaii and every nature preserve and every facility that makes hawaii a better place. he fulfilled his dream of creating a better hawaii." he was a strong supporter of the university of hawaii, a strong

supporter of george washington university law school, he got his bamp lower's in hawaii, his law degree at george washington. he was determined -- a determined representative of the fighting men and women, a longtime leader of the defense appropriations subcommittee. as i mentioned briefly last night, there has been in my many years in congress, i have been here as long as my friend, the assistant leader here, who is seated next to me today, we've been here 30 years. and there's been no one i've ever known in my 30 years here who did more and fought more for the fighting men and women of this country. he believed the nation's commitment to the members of its armed forces didn't earned with their -- end with their service. mr. president, for fear it would be lost and it shouldn't be lost, i want to spread on the record what this good man did at a prayer breakfast a

couple of months ago. i can't remember if the presiding officer was at the prayer breakfast but i know that my friend, the assistant leader, was there. senator inouye had never, ever in his 50 years in congress cong spoken at a a prayer breakfast but he decided to come. he had great vigor until just recently. he campaigned in this last cycle. he traveled to alaska to help senator begich a few months ago. he campaigned in nevada and arizona and all over the country. he had great vigor. but he came to the prayer breakfast and talked to us about his experiences. when he was a boy, he never, ever had a gun. that wasn't anything people did in hawaii. and so he was surprised when he got in the army he was such a great shot. he was the best. the best. and as a result of that, he became a sniper in the european

theater. and with great humility, he explained he can remember killing his first person, and he can remember they were trying to take a farmhouse and they shot a bazooka into it and he rushed in and there was a man there. and the man reached in his pocket, of course, senator inouye thought it was for a weapon and he was killed. and inouye saw that he reached for a picture of his family. he said he came to the realization at that time that he wasn't killing enemy soldiers, he was killing other human beings. and although he had to continue doing what he did, he ended his presentation by saying i know exactly how many people that i killed. he said a lot of people go to bed at night counting sheep.

even though i'm an old man, i go to bed at night many times counting people. he was somebody who as a result of his experiences voted against war from then on. he didn't support the vietnam war. iraq war one and two, afghanistan, even though he made sure that these people had all the supplies they needed, our military force. they are the greatest fighting force in the world, and a lot of it is directly he attributable to senator inouye. talking about bipartisanship, he lived that. he was a fine democrat. he was a progressive testimony and was proud of that. but he never hesitated to cross over and work with other senators. and the best example of that was senator stevens, who was killed in an airplane crash fairly recently in alaska. hawaii and alaska, these two

fine men representing the two newest states of the union became like brothers and that is the truth. so, mr. president, it's really a shame that dan isn't with us anymore. he was never afraid to speak out against discrimination and was an important advocate for native hawaiians and native pacific islanders. he was the chair of the indian affairs committee. prior to that time, with all due respect to other chairs, it wasn't a committee people knew much about. senator inouye made that a powerful committee. he traveled the country, receiving all the accolades from these tribes who had never been recognized, who had never had someone that became their advocate and he was. he put the indian affairs committee on the map. served as chairman. commerce committee, the appropriations committee, president pro tem of the senate, the first chair of the committee on intelligence. he served as a member of the

watergate committee and chairman of the special committee investigating the iran-contra affair. i repeat, mr. president, this man has been one of the greatest senators in the history of this great country. he had a deserved reputation as a bipartisan bridge builder. he always put his country first and his party send. in 1968 senator inouye gave a memorable key note speech at the democratic convention. he spoke eloquently of the country's struggles with racism. he also spoke from the heart. this is what he said and i quote, "i wish to share with you a most sacred word of hawaii, it's aloha. to some of you who have visited us, it may have meant hello. to others aloha may have bent goodbye. but to those of us privileged to live in hawaii, aloha means i love you. so to all of you, my fellow

americans, aloha. that's what he said those many years ago. so today it's with a heavy heart that those of us who love senator inouye say aloha to a great man, a legend of the senate and his final dying word, mr. president, was "aloha." it didn't mean goodbye. it meant "i love you." it meant "i love you."

he was willing to risk his life to prove that he was loyal. he served in world war ii, the 442nd regimental combat, which was combined of japanese-americans and they thought together. they recently came to washington to be honored. senator inouye was there, and it was a great moment to see these men of the greatest generation who have proven to america their love for this country.

none more so than dan inouye. senator reid has recounted in detail the incredible story that earned him the congressional medal of honor. but he is such a humble man. we look back on his life, there were so many aspects of his life that were historic in nature. conversations and working with them. senator reid had the same experience i did. we visited senator inouye's office and it was amazing. there were no awards for this man who had served more than half a century in congress. i said to him, it's interesting that your office has a lot of artwork and photos, but nothing about dan inouye. no, he said and put those things. i wanted everyone to feel that he was coming in here and i didn't want to talk about my party affiliation or anything that i had done. i wanted them to feel comfortable and to know this was

a welcome office. that is the kind of person that he was. he started off with the house of representatives in hawaii. when hawaii became a state, he served in congress and later in the united states senate. he was there from the beginning. what a dynamic leader he was for the state of hawaii. he did so many great things over the years. i was at the same prayer breakfast that senator reid recounted. there was one other story he told, referred to in the most abbreviated form. he talked about his experience as a sniper and how he still had in his mind the images of those enemy soldiers that he shot down he told me great stories at the

breakfast about how he was an officer and spent his weekend in the great city of chicago, at the knickerbocker hotel. and he said that he finally talked to one of his fellow hawaiians, a man whose face had been burned off to join him in one of his trips to chicago. amanda was embarrassed of his appearance and didn't think that anyone would want to be around him to talk to him. but he nature when he came to chicago and prepared all these different places to stop, every one of them greeted senator inouye and his friend in a warm fashion. i won't go into the details, he was always looking to help someone else. he told how this man was his

friend for life. it was at senator byrd's funeral in west virginia, i think, he said it was one of the hottest days he could remember. we were up there just baking in the sun. at this memorial service for robert byrd. i had intentionally picked a seat next to dan inouye. i was mopping perspiration off and i looked at him in his dark suit. without a bead of sweat on him. and i said howdy do this? and he said, you know, the asian people are very important in my life and mind over matter helps. i can visualize myself sitting in a deep freeze now. and i thought, this man is amazing. and so many ways. what he has done with his life, those tories, some serious in some lighthearted. this reflects so well on this

man. the passage of the dream act, i have worked on it for 11 years. there was a time when the floor of the senate, september 21, 2010, when i could not break the republican filibuster or to. and i was pretty despondent over it. senator reid came to the floor and said a few kind words about my efforts. but then out of nowhere, senator inouye sought recognition. he knew that i was trying to get millions of these young people living in america a chance to serve their nation improve their love and become legal in america. and i'd like to read what he said. it touched me. he said madam president, i wish to set back in history. on december 7, 1941, pearl harbor bombed hawaii.

that was declared all japanese-americans on the americans, citizens born in the united states or had japanese ancestry would be considered enemy aliens. as a result, they could not put i love my country and wanted to put on a uniform to show her my heart said. we petition the government. and they said if you wish to volunteer, go ahead. he turned and said that i think the beneficiaries of the senator from illinois in the dream act will do the same. it was a short statement that was captured in a few words his life and his sacrifice and what he had proven by risking his life for this country. the reason that we honor him this morning.

i closed by saying two things. first, i think senator akaka came to the floor at last night about his colleague of so many years and put it in a few words. he said last night, tomorrow will be the first date since why became a state in 1959 that dan inouye will not be representing us. he went on to say that you will be missed in washington as much as you understand why. rest in peace, senator inouye. it summarizes how much he has meant to hawaii and america. his last word was law. as senator reid said, so appropriate. a kind and gentle american hero with love for everyone else. that was his life. i yield the floor. >> the senator from california. >> mr. president, i would like to associate myself with remarks made by my eloquent colleagues.

i would like to extend praise for a one-of-a-kind senator and an extraordinary human being. my friend, dan inouye. i was telling senator lieberman that the senate put on a little bit of a retirement dinner for retiring senators, including senator inouye. it was only two weeks ago, mr. president. he wasn't well, but he came to the dinner and he sat at the table because of his respect for the individual senators and this institution and the love he had for them and for the institution. i will miss dan inouye so much. his big heart and his self-effacing manner and his integrity and patriotism. i will just say a couple of things. over the years, we have all worked together, so many of us on some issues. i worked on bringing a

state-of-the-art comprehensive casualty care center to my state. to take care of the wounded veterans were coming home. without their limbs, those with poster might stress, and all the problems they had. there was no such place on the west coast. with dan's help, and senator stevens, we got it done. so the facility stands as a tribute to dan inouye. in 2010 i had a very difficult campaign. as most of us did at that time. and dan inouye said i'm going to come there and help you. and i was under serious attack. we had an event for veterans. dan inouye as a speaker and i was a speaker. as we were speaking, we heard these voices of screaming demonstrators yelling things. which were not complimentary towards us. let's put it that way. but it was very loud, and i was

so humiliated. and they kept screaming when dan inouye was speaking about my work and his work on veterans. sure enough, the demonstrators kept it up. i was so upset. and i went up to him and i put my arm around him and said, i am so embarrassed, i'm so sorry. and he said that they are not going to be healed by screaming. don't worry about it. and he went on to go to a couple of events. and he took his wife to them. and it was extraordinary. i love dan inouye with all my heart. every time i look at him, smiled because he was so good. he was such a good person. i pay tribute to him today. and i have to say that there is no one who can ever replace him.

no one who can replace this remarkable american. he personified the meaning of love and country. so i send my love to his family. >> reaction to the new town connecticut school shootings today on capitol hill. this is 40 minutes. >> mr. president, we are often walking too often through the valley of the shadow of death. senator blumenthal and all our speaking about the tragedy that occurred, the senseless horrific attacks on the people of newtown, connecticut. it happened last friday. we must also note that with an extraordinary sense of loss, the death of our truly beloved colleague, senator dan inouye of

hawaii. as senator reid and senator dick durbin made so clear, america has lost a true hero. a patriot. the senate has lost a great leader. a leader whose accomplishments have been literally historic. and i think that all of us have lost a friend. last evening, senator akaka spoke about how dan inouye's legacy -- i'm paraphrasing here -- it was all about hawaii and all he had done for the state. the truth is that i think that most every state in the country is full of legacies of the service of dan inouye. i know it is true of connecticut. it really was my honor to serve for 24 years with dan inouye

here. he was exactly the opposite of all the caricature pictures that people have a congress today. particularly about partisanship and personal on civility. dan inouye is a great gentleman. the most civil of people, the most kind and decent people. and the senator reid said, a proud democrat, a faithful democrat. but not at all partisan. the relationship that he had with the late ted stevens on the appropriations committee was historic and actually inspirational. they are so different in background. background temperament particularly. you know, ted stevens was my

neighbor and in dear friend. let's say that he had, well, how widespread agreement he was a very emotional person. dan inouye was more calm. but they formed this remarkable friendship based on shared history going back to world war ii. probably a sense of shared destiny in the sense that they were both from the two last states to join the union, not part of the continental united states, really, what united them is an enormous dedication to patriotism. i could just go around the state, and i'm thinking particularly of the years and years that dan inouye was the chairman of the appropriations

committee, the defense appropriations committee. there wasn't anything we were able to do for connecticut at that time -- protecting long island sound, improving our transportation systems, making grants to the schools and colleges and universities. support of the defense industries in connecticut, which meant so much to those of our country and those of our state. so i salute his memory. mr. president, we thank our colleagues were adopting by unanimous consent last night as our 621, which is mirrored in the words condemning the attacks which occurred in newtown, connecticut, last friday. expressing sorrow to all those

affected. we are still in shock. all of us who know this little town as americans come to know it, 28,000 people, a beautiful town, hard-working people who worked their way to get there. very religious, very much involved in the life of the community. peaceful and out of nowhere, this tragically is the point. this one deranged individual comes along and slaughters 26 innocent people, breaking our hearts. twenty of those being young children. many feel as if they are part of a family of those who were killed. you look at the faces of those children.

pure and innocent. and i think of the words to one of the clergymen said. these are angels. they are really with the angels in heaven now. the work and the response of the first responders, and that, they have gone through and the carnage that they witnessed, and yet you talk to some of them, and they are guilty that they didn't get there earlier and couldn't stop them. they did more than could be asked of anybody. the teachers, the stories that come out about the heroism. i remember long ago i heard steve say the definition of courage is grace under pressure. it is grace in a moment of

terror. the single-mindedness of grace. those putting their lives on the line to protect the children. let us speak the truth. there were hundreds of children and not building. there could have been hundreds more that were targets of this madman. we are wounded, but i will tell you that the world is wounded. someone sent me the other night at the service that he was so touched that he had received a bundle of letters from schoolchildren in russia. and it reminded me that there was an incident in russia years ago where a gunman went into a schoolhouse and wantonly killed children and the monsignor was so touched by it. that is the way this event has touched the world. i will tell you that this is a strong town and you can feel the people of this community pulling

together to support the survivors and thinking about how they can rebuild the town and its spirit. it was said so poignantly the other night that they will not allow this event to define newtown, connecticut. but the families of those who have been lost had changed forever. i want to thank my colleagues for this resolution of condolence and support. i want to thank senator reid for the moment of silence yesterday to in my state's tradition, when you visit a house of mourning, one of the customs is for the visitor to sit silently with the

mourners. this tradition hascome about as an act of respect for the mourners. and we want to allow them to speak first if they want to speak. but the other in the face of death, particularly in the brutal death of these 26 children and people in newtown, connecticut. i thank my colleague for it the moment of silence. the congressional delegation convened the vigil last night. the chaplain of the house offered prayer.

we thank all of you who came last night. your presence meant a lot to us and a lot of the people back home in newtown, connecticut. now the question is, can we do anything to stop this? to stop this from happening again? what can we do? i understand that as the president said, all of the town and people of connecticut, he brought comfort to and i will say that he brought resolve. which is very moving and inspiring to everyone there. and we can always say as we look

at the possible causes of such a tragedy that even if we did something about that, even if we ban all guns, there would still be violence. or even if we provided better mental health treatment, there would still be people who would break through and commit acts of violence. even if we removed all of the stimuli to violence in our entertainment culture, still, people would commit these acts. yes, of course that is true. but do we not have the capacity to intervene at different points in the story of this young man to stop this from happening? elise once again and probably many more times. of course we have that capacity. people keep saying that human nature is violent.

of course, there is violence that goes back to the beginning of history. we remember the two children of adam and he that existed, cain killed abel in a violent act. but we also have to be instructed by what happened after that. when god speaks to canin says where is your brother? and he feigned ignorance. and he said in my my i my brother's keeper, and god says to cain in genesis, what have you done? the mind hears the voice of god and anger. what have you done? you have killed your brother and my creation. and then god says that your

brother's blood cries out to me. on the ground. the bible then instructs us that the point is that we are brothers and sisters keepers and we are most of all her children's keepers. we can never say that though, people are just violent. we have the capacity, particularly we are honored to serve in the senate or white house and we want to do something about this. somebody said to me, if we save just one child's life by what we do, it will be a amazing. i have talked to people since friday who have said to me why will this be any different? nothing happened after columbine or aurora or version attack or any of the other act of violence

in our society. i don't blame people for being skeptical. that is the truth. we should have acted earlier. and we haven't. i went back and proposed the creation of the national commission on violence three weeks after columbine in 1999. and it passed the senate. but it did not make it to the house committee. so i understand why people are skeptical. but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't hear the cries of the children that a madman turn on them and actually see their blood on the ground of the floor of the schoolhouse. we can prevent this from happening. perman from happening to people again. we can prevent it from happening to some people. i see signs of hope around us.

people and colleagues have been protectors of the night. saying the last few days that this has to change. we have to come together and reason together and act together. and everything has to be on the table, including argonauts. there was a poll in "the washington post" that is very striking. note that for the first time when people have been asked this question, after a series of violence, columbine, virginia tech, aurora, colorado. do you think this is an isolated act? where does it say something about the more troubling conditions in our society? interpreting. for the first time, every other group of people said it was an act of a madman. but this time they said it reflects a deeper problem in our society. and i believe what causes that

change is that 20 of the victims in newtown, connecticut, were young children. not only is their heart rate across the country about this, not only anger, but i think there is guilt. we all ought to feel guilty. because of this society, with the attack said to us is that we have failed to fulfill what seems to be our most natural law, if you will, of responsibility, which is to protect the safety and lives of our children. so i hope that we will act. there would be no better tribute or source of consolation to the families that have lost loved

ones. i propose a solution, as i did in 1999, these are complicated questions. in almost every one of these acts of mass violence, you have a young man troubled very clearly. family and friends, people think something is wrong. very often, and i have heard rumors about this being the case with adam lanza. the this young man had almost a hypnotic involvement in some form of violence and art entertainment culture, particularly violent videos -- video games, they become not just troubled young man, but mass murders. to try to intervene, particularly at the beginning with a troubled young man.

to get him or her help quickly. make sure that her mental health system is there to protect an offer to help and to guarantee that payment will be made. the entertainment culture as competent as well. obviously not every young person that plays a violent videogame comes a killer. but i have spent a lot of time looking at this in the social science and there is a very clear sign for goes back of young people who are involved in the entertainment culture, they are aggressive. thank goodness almost none of them become murderers. some of them do. then, of course, we need to strengthen our belmonts. i hope that the legislative action will convene such a commission. mr. president, i would like to make clear that i am not

offering this idea as a substitute for any action that we can take now. any action that the president can take now, for instance, with regard to the existing laws that are aimed at preventing people who shouldn't have guns from having him, keeping guns that are not part of hunting or sport off the market. anything the president can do, anything congress can do, i support restoration of insult them today. ..

the dead shall not have died in vain. that should be here in a meeting promotion and sense of to your led by the president's very powerful words and new tunes -- newton on sunday night. remember after the terrorist attacks of nine of lebanon to work that we did here in washington to create the

department of homeland security, the 9/11 commission to pass the legislation, implementing the bipartisan work done here in congress and the administrative -- executive branch to make those laws laws and keep us a lot safer to prevent another 9/11 from happening. in my belief, those laws would not have been passed and enacted and we wouldn't he safer today if it were not for the extraordinary commitment of the families of people who were killed on 9/11 to get involved or talk truth to power and members of congress and executive branch were falling back in political waves,

self-defensive ways. those families they spend face-to-face. and some in power turn their faces away, but ultimately those families and wants children will never be the same. i hope and pray they will come back to some semblance of normalcy. i hope they'll have that urge and strength, which take an enormous amount to get involved in forcing our country to do whatever it can to stop anything like this from happening again. this is the american family. those 26 people, those 20 children and their family members is incumbent on us now

to some and not just three mourners in the kilt, but the will to act to stop this from happening again and to save the lives of our family members. it thinks the chair and i yield the floor to my colleague. >> mr. president. >> senator from connecticut. >> i think my college from connecticut for those moving and important comments on the floor at this profoundly significant time in his rivers date in our nation and i want to join my colleagues here who have expressed their admiration for senator in a way and his passing. i admired him deeply as ap

sharia, war fighter, a public servant to his unstinting and unwavering in commitment to constitution, quality injustice and his boss is a loss for the country, but personally for all of us who serve in this body i knew him less well than colleagues who spoke eloquently like senators durbin, boxer and lieberman. one of my regrets is a stand here as i did not have the time to know them better because he was such an extraordinary human being and perhaps one of the lessons for me personally it's time is short as we all know and we should make a greater effort in this body and among us in

this profession to know our colleagues into treasure the friendship. i want to thank my colleague from connecticut also for history% different powerful words on the tragedy in newton, connecticut, which brings me to the floor today was such a heavy heart. the senator from vermont, senators klobuchar, durbin, bennett and so many others seeking to hope connecticut that have been brought home to me and the states or others have sought to provide not only consolation, but suggestions for action. one of my reasons for being on the floor today is to talk about action that we can take and i want the families who are

grieving now to note that my standing here for policy and action in way means it's respecter effort to intrude on their grieving and emotional rebuilding. but we now on friday the community of newton, connecticut and that tragedy is expressed in senate resolution 621 and house resolution 833. i think my colleagues in both houses for condemning the attack and offering their condolences to the people of connecticut and more importantly the people and families who suffered these losses most directly. i spent the last four days or a better part of them in connecticut. those three days or a time that i don't want to relive other.

i first learned about this incident on friday morning in the midst of a normal day. i had events scheduled. i heard that there was something wrong in the danbury area. as the details not take, that hartford checotah newton into the firehouse in sandy hook. i arrived there is a public official, but what i saw was through the eyes of a parent. the firehouse in sandy hook is where parents went to find out if their children were okay. the way they found out was that their children it. or they didn't and after a while, some of the children came from a summer with their parents there or at school and their parents took them home and others did not.

i will live forever with the sight and sound of those parents as they emerge from the firehouse. the cries and sobbing of grief in english, the look on those faces. the murderer blasted its way into the elementary school in sandy hook armed with a bushmaster aars 15 assault rifle come a 10-millimeter glock pistol and a nine millimeters six-hour and with multiple magazines filled with 10, 15, 30 rounds, hundreds of rounds that he used in an execution style massacre. wayne carver, who is the state radical examiner for connecticut has been in that job for more than 30 years. he has seen it all, beatty said

he is seen not in like those other. 20 small bodies with depart, executed en masse. so there's no question that evo came to newton as governor meloy said that day. evo came in its darkest, most inhumane terms. but heroism also came too near to. the s.w.a.t teams to win in actually saved lives. they saved hundreds of lives of students and staff in the school because the murderer took his own life when he knew they were entering. there is a heroism of the principal and teachers and others who ran toward the sound of gunfire.

they ran to protect their children, children who were sixth and seventh, their faces now on the front pages of newspapers. their stories inside. the heroism of the state troopers who had to confirm the identities of the terms for their families and stayed with those families throughout the weekend. the heroism of the community itself. newton is indeed a quintessential new england town. virtually everybody knows everybody else, which is a good thing. but in a way, also a bad thing because everyone's children knew the other children. at the vigil sunday night, two of the children who attend the school came up to me to show me some of the necklaces they've made with lou beets, 20 of them.

20 blue beads, each one for a child, a victim and six stars for the adults. this community is not on the quintessentially new england. it is quintessentially and it strength, as resolute as, it's caring, and courage. part of what is also inspired newton is the outpouring of support that they've received from all across america and all across the world. so never doubt that the messages you have sent, the arts and prayers have made a difference to them. they truly have. newton is a call for national reflection of her coming together. this tragedy hate connecticut, but the town of newton is supported by the grief shared by all americans. but it's also a call for action.

it's the right time to ask what we can do to stop this sort of tragedy. in recent years, there've been horrific shootings at virginia tech, in aurora, in oak ridge on university campuses in movie theaters and places of worship and many other places are unsuspecting americans going about their everyday lives have those life cut short in a few minutes the florida on shannon. a lone gunman was able to kill 20 elementary school children ranging from six to seven years old. he killed the school's principal and school psychologists and for teachers. sadly, there have always been and there always will be mentally ill people, mentally deranged or hateful people who want to lash out violently at

the world we will never be able to stop all of them from doing harm. but even if we cannot prevent all of these tragedies, we must not surrender in say we will do nothing to prevent any of them. and the last few days, everywhere i've gone, people have come up to me and said the same words over and over. we have to do something. and people in law enforcement, families of it ends, members of the clergy again and again have said those words, we have to do something. and so that is my commitment today. to do something. in fact, everything i can as a senator to price and prevent the next tragedy. as a former law enforcement official and as a father, i cannot do less.

there's no single, no simple solution that will be a cure-all, but there are sound come to sensible steps we can take involving some of the new laws, some involving better enforcement of existing laws, our local and state police, for example in federal agencies need more resources and support. we need to do something to affect sleep and assault weapons. in talking about but it's not designed for self-defense or hunting but rather killing and maiming human beings, often as many as possible as fast as possible. what considers civilian versions of military weapons. there's no reason any such weapon should be for sale today in america. we need to do something to ban high-capacity magazines also involved in this mass murder. book rielle hunter uses or needs 30 round clips?

what self-defense situation is served by them? we need to do something to prevent mentally ill people and criminals from having firearms. i don't know a better laska to prevent prevented a shooter in the getting their hands on the weapons he used, but we must look at what we can do to identify such people with serious mental is before it's too late and provide intervention and treatment. and take those weapons out of their hands. to date some of the national criminal background check system has prevented nearly 1.8 million attempted purchases of firearms by mentally ill people are criminals. clearly, that alone was not enough to prevent a number of tragic shootings. but i think we can all agree

that it's good that sales were not completed. right now only 60% of gun sales involve a background check. we should ensure that all firearms sales involve a background check, including things that are not sold by licensed dealers and those checks wherever they are done a thorough and comprehensive. nothing here means we should trample on the second amendment. the supreme court has spoken clearly that law-abiding americans have constitutional rights to own firearms, whether for self protection, hunting, competitive shooting or any other proper purpose. that is now the law. but the supreme court has also made clear that the government can appropriately impose sensible regulation in many other areas of constitutional

right and how firearms are used in purchase and everyone would agree that criminals and deranged people should not you will get their hands on firearms. all of these issues, we have to look for sensible common ground rooted in common sense. i believe her serve for people of good will to work together to find a period piece and as they say that, i am mindful that issues involving the second amendment right and passion have run deep and wide on both sides of the debate, including in this chamber. there's a lot of stress to overcome. i keep face of the people of newton who have grabbed my arm and said we have to do some thing and that is my commitment.

i will work with the president and colleagues in the senate regardless of party or geography. i will work with any organizations to engage in a top construct is on what steps to avoid tragedy but the newton shootings in the future. i worked to find a solution to this crisis because it is a crisis and i will not be deterred by any campaign that uses scare test x because there was nothing more frightening, nothing more horrifying than looking into the eyes of the parents who came out of the firehouse in sandy hook, who lost a baby last friday. that is any parent's worst nightmare. i know there are some who do nothing about gun violence that we are entrenched as a nation so

polarized as a body that we will continue to wring our hands and every massacre and yet he sometimes event happens that are so horrified her country in the change the nature of the discussion. they changed the political ground under us. they are a tectonic shift in a brutal massacre of these innocent children and their loving teachers in newton is exactly such an event. yesterday, some of my senate colleagues at the cursor join this call for action if they publicly that we cannot go on as before. i want to thank senator's mansion and warner for their heroic stances that have been patient to every other member of the senate to join in this common effort to find common ground and at long last do

something to stop the killing. i want to thank senator reid come our majority leader for his leadership and calling for a meaningful and powerful today on gun violence. we have to do something. we have to do something. we have to do something. that is what people in newton have to teach me over and over. i believe the american people agree. this is our moment and we are the people who do it. and i ask each of my colleagues to listen to those voices and to hear their own heart. >> one of the things that did surprise me a little. i didn't conduct a nationwide survey of coinventors, but those i talked with him very often the reaction, you know, you're way

of thinking before and after you've got a gun is very different. i think any of law-abiding gun author realizes when he's got a gun but it's a huge responsibility. if you use this weapon irresponsibly or broadly, you could get yourself into legal trouble. of course you could cause unnecessary misery and death even to people you didn't intend to do harm to. it makes you very careful. it should make you very careful. for most people it is. but i think it would make people more careful if they all had to pass some kind of a test before they get a license. >> before you can drive a car. >> you don't always have to take guns. the mac

>> now a discussion of global counterterrorism u.s. relations with pakistan's status of al qaeda. from the brookings institution, and this is a little less than an hour and a half. >> good morning, everyone in thank you for your patience. my name is daniel byman cover research director here at hurricanes. i think the issue of terrorism has been on the agenda and the united states is silly since 9/11 and of course people like our speakers today. at the end of the first term of the obama administration, is a mistaken appropriate point to

look at the track record so far and also to look ahead and the challenges remaining. i'm delighted with two speakers who can do that extremely well today. our first speaker today is the coordinator for counterterrorism at state department. he has held numerous government positions. also for several years as a senior fellow here at the booking institution. he is also the author of two noted books, the next attack. i would say to the last of the public he's leaving government service, but he is going to teach and how the research institute at dartmouth college in the senate here and more broadly will be joining them.

to comment on ambassador benjamin's remarks we have bruce byman. bruce is a 30 year veteran of the intelligence community. he served in numerous positions in dod and the white house. he's the author of several books where he is a senior fellow and i could spend a fair amount of time the stennis publications, but i will say it's covered al qaeda and pakistan in particular in recent years and is one of the most established commentators and thinkers and counterterrorism today. we look forward to hearing from ambassador benjamin. [applause] >> thanks for the very warm welcome. it is wonderful to be back at brookings and in the auditorium and see so many friends. i want to thank bruce riedel for

becoming a disgusting. this mail before it entered the obama administration. i am grateful i had to think that the policy issues i would confront and have a chance to try out its on the truly outstanding scholars and cracked tisha mares who are here, such as dan and bruce. as for mr. misspoke when the four years ago when a paper entitled strategic counterterrorism. i know i speak for many of my colleagues in the government when i say brookings is a national treasure and deserves our gratitude for incubating so many smart things that government has done. as they move from the first of president obama stearns to be a fitting time to take stock. of course to do so we understand

how the president took office four years ago. at that time, it was a formidable organization with the tribal areas in pakistan incapable of committing a catastrophic attack. yemen, a country where we had largely disengaged had been terrorists are tbd. al qaeda in the arabian peninsula have established itself as the first eight to affiliate with the determination capability of striking the united states that we saw that clearly at the christmas season in fact the attempt to destroy an airliner down for detroit. the following year aqap try to get the plot to destroy airplanes with bombs to detonate in the cargo holds. we should also remember in somalia al-shabaab controlled all but a few bucks in mogadishu and much of south and central

somalia. against this backdrop would begin her tenure with us about what we need to do to be more effect to. in general, we believe we have to have a more comprehensive and the more genuinely strategic approach. we had to invigorate our diplomacy to strengthen the foreign partnerships absolutely vital to our success. we knew moreover whether military intelligence community and law enforcement agency of civilian agencies and also governments around the world were not yet sufficiently engaged and we recognize clearly that is not just to reduce the data such as we wanted. but that in that we put a high priority on two key areas. while that capacity building subcultures around the world can do a better job dealing with the threat within their borders and in their region and recognizing we had to address the deputy

national security adviser john brennan had labeled the upstream factors of radicalization. the resolve to strengthen our work in countering violent extremism or that government power so they can bump the attraction of violence and recruits her enemies cause. today for your seder, things that different. both on the ground and as i discuss later with the u.s. is doing. especially in the civilian side of the house. in southeast, a few score has been seriously degraded. without a doubt, osama bin laden is to pressure from the scene was the most and port milestones in the fight against al qaeda. the remover -- removal of the sole commander for 22 years is a testament to the work of countless intelligence and counterterrorism across the government and that further

demonstrated as never before the extraordinary proficiency intelligence communities achieve and counterterrorism is someone who would then director for counterterrorism at the white house in the late 90s, i have to say the leaping capabilities is nothing short of astonishing. of course it was not just bin laden. we've removed more than 20 of eight q.'s top 30 leaders. now the court finds it difficult to raise money, train recruits and plant attacks outside the region. in yemen to fight against al qaeda and arabian peninsula is a work in progress, but i'm glad to see the trend lines are positive. in particular, the resolve of president hottie and begin many people have made a major difference. after holding a swath of territory at aqap has been rolled back from the gains of last year. yemen illustrates the value of the truly comprehend that approach.

so while we are training yemeni security forces to combat terror, we also address the needs by their political transition in humanitarian and economic aid. we also work with the international community should double its support for this impoverished country. we do this not only because it's right to help the country that examines challenges, but also because it addresses humans need that left unmet can accelerate radicalization and because our partners need to know we are in it for more than her of security. after more than two decades of strife, decide to mark the end of the political transition with the new constitution parliaments and president. these are the hopeful signs of a new era in somalia that long-suffering country could reach this point because the national forces and the mission in somalia have strong financial support and training from the

u.s. and western partners and because of that it could expel al-shabaab for major cities. while the crippling data they carry out attacks against the new government in neighboring countries, also bob is fragmented by dissension and much we can. i think we can all agree that's good news and ensure the al qaeda core is on the path to defeat. the two most dangerous affiliates also posing a serious threat has suffered there were setbacks in years. if we only had a set of challenges, we don't be failing grade. everyone knows the events of the last couple years and north africa have added a lot of complications to this picture. in bali, the terrorists and the mocker verse 10 team to consolidate their safe haven. the return of exiled fighters in the ranks of gadhafi's army to northern mali and the subsequent rebellion dispersed weapons from the libyan stocks have all had

dangerous stability to the hope. in the via the aftermath of the revolution has provided more opportunities for extremist groups to operate as we saw so tragically in the death of ambassador chris stevens and three others in tripoli on december 11th -- and in guys and september 11. weaken domestic security institutions and especially civil strikes we know from experience creates equity environment the terrorists are drawn to. libya has provided one such case for extreme can cause real problems undergoing difficult transitions to democracy. another example is syria. al qaeda and iraq seeks to establish a long-term presence under the pseudonym. they fighting alongside armed syrian opposition groups from the members are working to hijack a long repressed nations struggle to suit their own extremist needs. last week redesignated an alias

at aqa, which is already of course listed at foreign terrorist organizations. as they wrap themselves in legitimacy of the opposition, we called terrorists out of a warning to all who wish to support the opposition to the syrian people and not help a terrorist group put down roots. to add to this list of new challenges in west africa was a nice collection of mrs. booker rob continue to carry at attacks in nigeria from exporting agreements in northern nature as to when recruits and public sympathy. the number and sophistication is increasing and while the group focuses on nigerian issues that are scum at every port is developing financial with other extremists and rushes to operate on a bigger stage. at this point i need to make something of a detour because while nonstate actors such as al

qaeda remain at the top of our prior to this, witnessed resurgence of state sponsorship of terrorism as well, session in a dangerous and destabilizing activities of the iranian regime, which it is done through the iranian revolutionary guard -- iranian revolutionary guard corps is in tehran's ally, hezbollah. in addition to the critical support the quds force has provided for the assad regime over the past year has been iranian backed terrorism. in fact hezbollah's activities reached a tempo unseat since the 1990s of the tax funded in southeast asia, europe and africa and it appears the group has carried out an attack about. as we saw with the airport bombing in july. the quds force in india, talent and must bracingly here in washington d.c. taking steps to crack down on

activities has been a top priority when it launched a whole government approach to counter higher gc activities including my enforcement, intelligence and diplomatic intelligence on trade issues. including the seizure of $150 million to the lebanese canadian bank had facilitated a fast narcotics and money laundering scheme. we urge countries to take a wide range of steps to crack down on hezbollah and the cubs force including sanctions come increased law enforcement and intelligence focus and strong public messaging. we've been engaging with reversing your premiere cautiously optimistic at last about the prospects review designation of the group. we've been regularly work you partners in other regions and countries are hezbollah has a significant presence and infrastructure including southeast asia, south america and west africa. we're pleased with the progress we are making and we'll continue to take action so hezbollah

recognizes its behavior is unacceptable and can no longer operate with impunity both at home and abroad. so as we see in the world of counterterrorism is changing fast. some of the most dangerous threats have received noticeably, but new ones are emerging and while perhaps not as threatening outcome in these cannot be viewed with complacency. the political transformations in the middle east and north africa have profound effect on foreign policy, including counterterrorism equities. a key was important to underscore was not a part of the popular uprisings of the two transitions across the middle east and north africa, but violent extremists across the region are looking for opportunities to exploit transitions underway. while he never expected this to be a painless process, revolutionary transformation of dislocating an unpredictable.

there are risks in the short run away message to reduce even a server to help states and transitions find long-term success. so we need continued engagement and we need strategic patience. we need to work towards a long-term project is despite the surprises and setbacks we encounter. we created the revolutionary events of the last two years at the police to turn to democracy and accountable government would ultimately defeat extremism and merciless advocates then i strongly believe that logic remains valid. these are still early days and we need to see these transformations through. diplomatic engagement right now is essential. we been clearing dealings with the government for violent extremists is at least as great and a greater threat to people's aspirations for me to keep united states and the western interests. preoccupied by difficult economic developments and constitutional reforms and

humbled by weaken security institutions, some of these governments are slow to recognize the challenge. the attack on facilities in benghazi and extreme violence elsewhere in the region began to change that and these governments increasingly show political will to tackle the terrorists are. in many cases they lack the resources and expertise to handle this complex and difficult challenge. this is a unique opportunity for the international community to help the capacity of these nations, which are eager and willing to take on terrorism. this task comes with great urgency. we must address it now before the threat, which is pretty durable becomes more serious. some of these governments have doubts about u.s. counterterrorism object is presented to implicate us and ask kerry to buy from a machine security services. will have to work through those ideas and in fact we can agree with these new governments that

are rerun of predecessors regimes is not what we seek norwood is needed. on the contrary, that there's numerous factors that feed into the phenomenon of radicalization countermeasures by security services were surely among the most potent. the goal of our counterterrorism must remove from approaches to researchers say new rule of law frameworks. let's declare the better partners are using the criminal justice agencies to prosecute and adjudicate in a purse or terrorism, the less they resort to legal methods to crack down on a domestic threat. moreover, our security benefits and countries do what is within their own borders so that those sites don't balloon and demand that we act and so we don't need to take the dramatic steps that inevitably cause a backlash of radicalization. that's why we're working closely with interagency partners. the department of justice, department of homeland security and dod to hope for and partners develop law enforcement to

secure their borders. terrorism assistance programs is the u.s. government's premier counterterrorism capacity building program for criminal justice agency for bomb detection of crime scene investigation to border aviation and cybersecurity committee t-bills capacity in a wide spectrum of counterterrorism skills offering courses, seminars and consultations. just thought fiscal year, et trained with a 9800 participants from within 50 partner nations. this is indeed a whole government effect, working with the department of justice now at the state department who is to put faces to u.s. embassies to develop law enforcement sector capacity, specifically to do with terrorism. they are a list will also provide the more basic mentoring skills to bring prosecutors to my enforcement agencies up to a

point where they can pursue more complex cases including those involving terrorist crimes. we have these in a growing number of countries. these are just to capacity building efforts and there's others. for example ann-margret third san sahara partnership program is both the capacity of 10 countries across the region for training and support so they can take border security, disrupt terrorist networks and prevent attacks. program brings together criminal justice and military experts to pursue a comprehensive approach to counterterrorism. capacity building when i was in for criticism at times but when a country's political resolve that can make extort her strides with assistance from others. but me cite one example. indonesia, perhaps my favorite example. if the government has dedicated itself to creating civilian legal structures and law enforcement institutions to

fight terrorism effect in late, comprehensively and within the rule of law. indonesia has scored more than 100 consecutive convictions in terrorist cases for national places had major successes in breaking up terrorist future muslim yet another violent extremists organizations. anyone who thinks back eight or nine years for a decade will remember many of us thought at the time and did misha hung in the balance and was unlikely to survive his bout with extremism. no one thinks that now had any discussion of the landscape in southeast asia is frequently admitted. the point here is capacity building can work it must continue innovate to prove efficacy. it said at the outset that the beginning of the administration were determined to better java countering violent extremism. so then they tell you of our efforts to delegitimize the terrorist narrative.

undersecretary clinton's leadership established the center for strategic counterterrorism communications. houston state department is feature in to secure interagency endeavor with a mandate from president obama in the form of an executive order. see fcc does many things including work in its and activities to undermine extremist discourse. this dish outreaching pushes back openly against a few propaganda online in arithmetic, urdu and somalia. one effort to have an extended campaign, much focus on yemeni tribal websites to counter messages per day q. ap in 2012. the campaign included early 1000 with banners and videos that minute aq messages battle of how aq yemenis were taken in by messaging it seems. extremists are one of their online groups expressed concern about what he called the new

u.s. policy of intellectual and ideological challenge the mujahedeen in the general and jihad jihads forums and the the social media website. these are not the only a aq supporters. in april for global islamic media front from a group well-known to and a leading distributor of aq propaganda warned participants on pro-aq forums to be clear on if we played into the hands of potential outreach teams. her recently in october another prominent pro-aq foreign hosted a threat emanating from the efforts. still early to evaluate the effect of massive disasters, we say they've made they've made the enemy set up and take notice of the fact. the aq propaganda scandal under spread uncontested in virtual safe havens. and our efforts come another

area focused on his identifying and addressing keynotes of potential radicalization. one priority area has been prisons. many incarcerated prisoners of coors will eventually be released and we need to take steps to decrease likelihood they will return to violence. second, prison is a time when individuals are cut off from previous extremist contact and so making them effectively open to positive change. third, real concerns about radicalization of the prison setting an effective management into correctional practices can reduce these risks. to do with this challenge can work with the u.n. interregional crimes to justice research institute and a dutch ngo for counterterrorism to develop an international initiative on prison rehabilitation and disengagement. now more than 35 countries, many multilateral organizations and the next% participated in providing policymakers, practitioners and experts a

chance to compare notes and best practices in this critically important area. unique greek come at the u.n. agency we work with, and other implementers use a set best practices to shoot the technical assistance they're offering to interested governments. we believe we've made an anonymous on the progress in tackling societal issue over the past several years, but there's still much that can be done and should be done in this area. as i hope i've made clear, there is a critical role for diplomacy in the broader counterterrorism effort. whether it's creating new partnerships to transition in the mockery of them is strengthening ties to traditional allies, expanding capacity building efforts were countering violent extremism in the different contexts in which it flourishes, the state department has a central role to play. this recognition that secretary clinton last year to transform the 30 plus year old office of coordinator of counterterrorism

into a full-fledged proof of filling a key recommendation of the paternal diplomacy and development review. creating a bureau has given us a real boost, but it's only a start. if there's one thing we've learned, it is better approach if it's to gain traction in truly be sustainable or can't do it alone. said we need a coalition of foreign partners to press a common agenda, especially capacity building in fact extremism. so that she would ask a major initiative in the average the global counterterrorism for a thereby advancing the president school of building an international architecture for 21st century threat. bg ctf, 29 member states brings together traditional western donors, muslim majority nations and major powers around the globe. it offers counterterrorism policymakers and experts of the unique, a dedicated platform to compare practices, identify

urgent needs and strengthen programming around the world. the group has started phot best part is documents in the air is the of law, combating kidnapping for ransom, funding terrorist groups in prison deradicalization and disengagement. but this core opposes strengthening civilian institutions that extremism come in the form is ideally suited to play a central role of collective response to these challenges in the sidehill, horn of africa and southeast asia committee three key regions of focus. just last week in abu dhabi we marked the opening of the first-ever center of excellence were countering violent extremism. the centerpiece didn't capitalists are police and educators, religious community leaders, policymakers and ngos. it needs to get necessary training and practical tools to design and implement effective measures to defeat extremist

ideology and want the spread of radicalization. at last week's meeting, we heard from a range of members about the variety of ways they continue to contribute to the foreign success. this includes mobilizing more than $150 million in programming to strengthen worldwide institution. it is also supporting creation of another international center of excellence double form a kind of twin with the center, an international institute for justice and rule of law which we expect to open its doors in the air but weakening by the end of 2013. bsd will provide additional training for police, prosecutors, judges, officials and parliamentarians to help countries transitioning to democracy. where probably we believe this tuba playing a port will not role not just in ensuring the national criminal justice officials have necessary counterterrorism training and

skills for contributing to a durable black institutional development and reform efforts in the region. this mission should not be provide training, but educate a new generation of criminal justice officials said training and tools that are used in reforms stick. it is taking a real difference, but were only scratching the surface in terms of its potential. and we look forward to the david countries around the globe have more of a common understanding of the nature of the terrorist threat and a common playbook for tackling it. that's because if we keep the effort going to practitioners and policymakers will share expertise, training and networked together to the centers of excellence, forms working group cemented sponsored it dvds. i've gone on for quite a while a tenet for your patience. let me conclude with a few observations. first there's clear indications

that al qaeda message continues to win a popularity could we see this in the election of moderates in july and the protesters of being citizens against militia dominance in extremism after the attack of the facilities in benghazi. the violence and chaos from the extremists simply does not resonate with the majority of people. we see similar signs elsewhere. that's not a reason to relax. we know in terrorism small numbers cannot even enormous impacts and strong leadership for influx of funding, groups can revive, expand and cause great damage. this is a moment for leaning into the problem of in extremism, for continued to great terrorist groups and shape the environment they operate in to our partners advantage. make no mistake the united states will continue to use tools at its disposal to protect itself from terrorism. as we go forward, capacity

building, countering that extremism, counterterrorism diplomacy are gregarious for the future. propagating that we and others have learned to do the international community and establishing a durable coalition of like-minded partners is vital. we spent the last two years of their domestic and foreign partners cutting a path forward along these lines and we have a lot to show for a fare. jewish achieve success with the american people grow a community, we need to push further ahead, expand efforts and devote more resources and attention. as i prepare to leave government, i'm convinced we can do this and we really can make a difference for comment future. i want to thank you very much and i look forward to your questions. [applause] >> thank you, ambassador benjamin. other to shot it over to

brewster and four for his thoughts and comments. >> thank you, dan and thank you, dan. it is a pleasure to be able to salute service to our country. i had the pleasure of working with dan and the previous administration. he is a remarkable partner to work with any think you saw today the wealth of ideas and the csm that he brings to this effort. i gave each day with a remarkable wealth of data about you, administration strategy in dealing with counterterrorism. he is as i would've expected, rather modest and talking about his own role in that of sct. i'm afraid i'm still stuck in the pre-bureau terminology. sct, for those of you who don't know is that part of the u.s. government that tries to bridge diplomacy and espionage or as i

like to say tries to bridge diplomacy was skulduggery. it's not always easy bridge to make. diplomats often look a bit askance at the role of espionage and kinetic action and the skulduggery's always look with a great deal of willingness at the role of the diplomats. it's important vital role would make this bridge. we cannot kill her way to dealing with the problem of al qaeda. you've heard an awful lot about the kinds of programs the obama administration has put in place. i'm going to focus a little more on the enemy since you've heard an awful lot about our side of the equation today and being in a think tank business, challenges we face ahead are a bit more than the programs we

have a place to deal with them. on the bottom line though, dan and i are in violent agreement on most of these points. so you're going to hear that an amen choruses to me. i hope to put in a few new ones as on issues that may spark more discussion and controversy. let me begin where dan began four years ago. four years ago this december we were on the edge of calamity that they should. not only with the al qaeda courier, for virtually under no pressure whatsoever we had just seen the worst terrorist attack i've seen since 9/11, the city of mumbai. we know more about that attack. we know that attack was a combo platter if you like it between the group that everyone gets credit for it, lashkar-e-taiba, army of the pure as well as the pakistani intelligence services. we know that from the testimony

of two americans were one american among canadian and american courts. we also have good reason to believe there is a third player in the planning of that operation, which has maintained a low profile at the time and that was al qaeda itself. this attack underscored just how dangerous the situation had become in south asia for years ago. i think dan is right in emphasizing this is where the administration can rightly claim to have made its greatest progress in dealing with the al qaeda courier. the al qaeda core is of course an american phrase for talking about it. the more proper term jihads acs is another al qaeda and they still see it very much as the mothership. the mothership and its associated allies in pakistan, lashkar-e-taiba and other groups remain the epicenter of the

global jihad is to movement. despite the blues we have conflict did on it, it remains in my mind the most serious and most dangerous group because its objective, its core plans is the most dangerous in the world, which is to prompt the work between two nuclear weapon states. efforts to keep that from happening have to amend the gold standard about counterterrorism efforts. president obama has every right and sodas sct and secretary clinton and dan benjamin to be proud of the damage we have inflicted on al qaeda score, not just the elimination of high-value target number one from which a comeback in a minute, the prosecution of the drones were. for understandable reasons the ambassador didn't use the dword. unfortunately in a position where i can use it dword. the